Home: Photos: Learn To Ski Trip

Learn-to-Ski Trip, Schuss Mountain, Belaire, MI, January 5-7, 2001

After a very shaky start the Learn-to-Ski/NASTAR turned out to be a great trip according to all reports of the participants. As for the shaky start, we had a bus without a driver and no way to start it, which meant no heat. We had several Boy Scouts on board who suggested we rub bodies together to warm it up but there were not enough willing to take this suggestion to make it work. After about an hour wait from the scheduled departure time, Carl showed up from his day job with the Mahomet schools and got us headed north.

Before it got too dark to see, everyone had an obscure name placed on his/her back and asked questions to figure out who it was. The toughest seemed to be the likes of Sandra Bullock and W.C. Fields; who'd a thunk it? We won't embarrass M.F. or M.M. by telling who was last to figure theirs.

Winter travel is always a little challenging but we had a good professional driver who got us there by 12:10AM CST over sometimes slippery roads. Jerry Welch collected the $27 in the pool for coming closest in the ETA contest. Milt Forsberg would have probably won it with the help of his handy GPS system but for that last rest stop the bus driver made. Them's the things that are hard to program into the machine.

Shanty Creek Resorts and International Clinics made sure everyone found their rooms in the middle of the night, had great instruction in the skiing and racing clinics, was very well fed at the buffet breakfasts and prime-rib buffet dinner Saturday evening, had a T-shirt for all who stayed through the door-prize drawings, and awarded lots of wonderful door prizes. CSC took home several of those prizes. Neill Wilkins became the proud possessor of the "Lucky" title by winning the ski boots. Lin Scheurich, one of our first-time skiers, won a gorgeous red Atomic boot bag. And Mike Sargent, trip leader, collected a plush, International Clinics sweatshirt just for bringing 43 paying participants to this beautiful mountain. We had a dozen folks skiing for their very first time: Richard McClary, Craig Chamberlain, Bill Dueringer, Wayne Pickens, Steve and Bruce Granick, Marjorie Harris, Laura Dripps, Lynn Ward, Lin Scheurich, Terry Klintworth, Melissa McKillip. Ken Leffel tried to emulate a first timer with a wild wipe-out on the NASTAR course during the racing clinic. Not to be out done in this contest for the wipe-out award, Mike Sargent challenged by skiing in front of Ken while loading on the quad chairlift and ended up rolling under the chair; M.S. 6.99, K.L. 7.00. Joan Sargent also tried to compete but managed a meager 5.00 in falling off the chair for her instructor to score.

Although we didn't have quite enough NASTAR skiers for a club race (no chocolate awarded) we had a great showing from those who did race; everyone won a medal even if it cost him an extra buck for a third run. Bronze medals were collected by Alec Reifsteck, Ken Leffel, Jeff Wells, and Mike Sargent (just because he's an O.F.); Silver medals by Ali Webber and Scott Reifsteck; and grabbin' the gold were Ruth Welch and David Garner. Not only did the Red Rocket win the gold but did it with a zero handicap. WAY TO GO DAVID!!!

If you missed it, I feel sad for you. But at the risk of sounding like a Cubs fan, wait 'til next year and join us then. Mike Sargent, trip leader.